The contracts -- awarded under EMTEC's hydrogen infrastructure program -- went to Faraday Technology Inc. of Clayton and Catacel Corp. of Leavittsburg.

Faraday's contract is valued at $360,287. The local company will seek to develop low-cost, mass production fabrication technology; the end result, according to EMTEC, would be the cheaper and more efficient use of the membrane electrode assemblies used in fuel cells.

The second contract, for $234,352, asks Catacel to demonstrate the commercial and technical feasibility of a type of reactor used in low-cost stationary hydrogen production. The company is teaming with the University of Toledo and AvMat LLC of Akron for the work.

EMTEC, based in Kettering, employs more than 20 people locally and is designed to develop technology for the automotive, tooling and machining, metal casting, polymer, biomaterials and alternative energy markets.